Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-02
land Of the mogul or in Persia or Da-
mascus. Mr.. Hopkins was a very capa-


ent eastern factory of tho Central Pa
cific railroad. c. =. Huntington. 1t is
said that Hopkins belonged to the fami-
~ of Mark HOPKINS. the clergyman
who established Williams college. They
had no children. and an accident on
the railroad killing one of its hands,
the couple adopted the orphan Of the
deceased man and brought him up as a
son. He proved to be obedient and
spirited. and Mrs. Hopkins married
him TO her niece, and he now repre-
sents the large estate OF Mark Hopkins.
which is said To have amounted to
SlS. 900. 900. Mrs. Hopkins spend most
of her time east, where she has villa
i'm the Berkshire hills.
drove through part of the grounds
of Edgar Mills. who lives quietly. and
is said to be wealthy. H. was an in
innate friend Of Ralston. aud bears
around with him the govt ~ monu-
ment Of those days. Rilslon place at
Belmont is few miles to the north.
and is now used rs a sort of picnic re-
sort The worst that is sa against
Ralston in these days is that he was a
bad example to the young men of the
coast in his habits, though some say that
in his extremity he forged certificates
of stock in the California bank As he
was one of the officers, however. this
could hardly have amounted to for
gerry. for he was the man spirit of that
bank and had power of attorney prob
ably over the signatures of others in
it.
ID. o. Mills keeps up his tasteful and
elegant place in this region. aud he
spent good deal of time here last year.
1t was in this country house that his
only daughter met Mr.. Whiteluw Reid
an Ohio boy, and sclectel him rs her
ideal. Mr.. Stanford 81 To me about
ID. O. Mills:
For the business Of banking | think
there was hardly ever man who was
better adapted to it. lie was caut ous
man except when bold Investment was
required, and then he was as strong a.
he had been cautious. He understood
that the genius of banking was TO lend
money and to keep il moving, and not
TO have trouble when he came to cal
for It to be returned. He once said to
me that the first idea which came in
TO his mind when person applied for
money upon loan was whether he
should have any trouble in getting 1t
again when it became due.
About mile and half from Menlo
Park station is Palo Alto. which means
tall tree or trees. the snug little country
box of Gov. Stanford. According to the
neighborhood tradition. this place was
laid out org nally 10y an Englishman
who had plenty of money and yer,
beautiful wife and one daughter. The
whole family were thoroughly Engl SD
in their habits. including the habit of
drinking too much. After he had start.
ed good many schemes such as lakes.
reservoirs, etc. the daughter of the
proprietor married without consulting
him. and married badly. He and his
wife scardcd her, and he died from
his potations. She fell into the same
habts and her daughter. whom she
had brought home widow. went the
same wa
Other persons owned the place. and
finally Mr.. Stanford bought It as a spot
to take breath and recuperate in the
midst Of his heavy responsib lities
While he was absent Mrs. Stanford,
without changing the title house at all,
furn shed and papered it for few
thousand dollars, and no changes are
contemplated there but small addi-
ton. as at present there is not room
enough for relatives who come down
from the city.
The Stanfords have no Sunday WISH
ting. When Ralston was living he
would bring down to Belmont any
persons who struck his fancy, and would
go riding all around on Sundays.
Since that time Menlo Park has turned
over anothea leaf. and tho Sundays
there are days of rest and not of recre-
alton.